Hello! I am a proud owner of a beautiful F5 (SBT) Bengal. I rescued? her. She is 7 years old. I'll give you more information on her "rescue" as I think it's relevant to help I need. This is my 6th week with Hemlock, the bengal. I love her a lot and she's pretty spoiled. We're going to start harness training soon, if she is up to it.

I have one other cat, his name is Nico and I picked him up from a humane society. They think he is a pure British Shorthair, but was dumped because he's a polydactyl and carries that genetic deformity. He fits the breed standard pretty well, personality-wise. He's very calm, sensitive, and friendly. Loves visitors, gets along with everybody -- cats, dogs, kids, kittens, you name it. He loves to play with my mom's Shiba Inu when we visit. I've had Nico for a little over a year. About 6 weeks ago I decided to get a second cat. Nico really likes company, and since it's only him in my apartment, he gets lonely. Nico is very sensitive and has the temperament to be picked on without standing up for himself, so my goal was a cat that was equal to or more sensitive than him. I live in Eastern Washington, USA, and really the only area where there are multiple shelters/humane societies is the greater Spokane area. The night before I was going to travel to Spokane to look for a cat, I saw an interesting Craigslist ad. The ad was about Hemlock. Hemlock comes from a breeder in Spokane. I have all her paperwork now, etc. This is a legitimate Bengal. I have no doubt about it, even now.

The ad went into detail about Hemlock (that wasn't her original name, I renamed her) and how she was being picked on by her two younger brothers. Those cats were also bengals. Hemlock was stressed to the point of licking off her fur, not eating much at all (she was skinny as can be when she first came here) being afraid of the other cats, etc. The woman who posted the ad had contacted the breeder, and the breeder had said it was probably best to find a new home for the poor girl if she was really this stressed. She had started peeing outside the litter box. I think the final straw was when she peed on the woman and her husband's bed. From my understanding, the husband was not a cat person at all. The kitty sounded like a very good fit for what I was looking for -- not aggressive, but very adaptable. The woman was very very sad to give up the kitty. My heart still goes out to her.

I'm not too concerned about peeing outside the litter box. (Although Bengal pee is much more stinky than my Nico's pee, haha!) I know it's an issue that can be fixed. Nico had litterbox issues when I first moved into my current apartment, because he's also very sensitive and the adjustment period was tough. We had spent the summer with my mother who has four cats and a dog, and Nico thrives in social environments. A new apartment that was empty was an adjustment. A little TLC and he stopped having these issues. By a little TLC I mean, buying a new litter box, changing litters, using enzymatic cleaner, etc. He hasn't had any accidents in many, many months.

Like I said, I know these issues can be fixed. But I've just now realized that I have no idea if Hemlock has seen a veterinarian about this. When Nico first peed outside the litter box, I immediately brought him in to rule out any medical issues, and it was confirmed that it was all behavioral. When I adopted Hemlock, I knew that Bengals were a special breed all on their own. Although I live in an apartment, it's pretty spacious. I have one of those cat wheels, a cat tree, another scratching post, and a lot of interactive toys. We love catit toys, and Hemlock is a master at treat puzzle toys. She's a typical Bengal -- she loves to know what's going on all the time, she is so so friendly, and she will meow to let me know when something's up, whether it be she wants food or the litter boxes are a little dirty for her finicky paws. I knew what I was getting into and frankly I love the challenge that Bengals bring. I've wanted a Savannah for a long long time, and though I didn't expect to be a Bengal mom so soon, I love it. She and Nico do get along, they play together and I catch them grooming each other sometimes. She's gained a lot of her weight back since her arrival. This weekend is officially her 6th week here.

I'm repeating the litter box issues steps. Cleaning carpet with enzymatic cleaner, etc. We have 3 litter boxes for the 2 cats, I use a mixture of Cat Attract litter and Blue Buffalo cat litter. Both cats are fed Natural Balance indoor formula, and Sheba wet food every other day or so. I have two constant flowing, filtered water fountains for them and two different food dishes. (Nico prefers a larger bowl for his flatter face.) I suppose my question is, is this just behavioral/pee marking typical for Bengals? Should I bring her into the vet to rule out any issues? When she does mark, she does the pee squat and pees a couple of drops. I think this is a new development though, as she usually will just full on pee outside the box. I also noticed when I redirect her into one of the litter boxes, she only pees a couple drops. I'm starting to feel like a trip to the vet is necessary, unless this is typical for Bengals?

Any time you get a new kitty, you should take it to the vet for a complete checkup! So, that is where I would start. Secondly, stress doesn't just STOP in a cat. It takes time to de-stress -- days, weeks, months, it depends on the cat. The fact that this cat wasn't happy with other cats at the previous home, may not like having another cat around now. This is a chance you take in getting another cat. I'm guessing she has been spayed. Unfortunately, that does not eliminate marking. Marking is for territory for females and males. She's trying to find her area in your home.

You have ample litter boxes, but if you need to add another, do it! The more boxes to choose from, the more the kitty may want to use it.

You are dealing with the #1 problem for cat owners. There is no easy solution and what works for one may not work for another, but I think the more she settles in, the better things will be. Just give it time.

To update, I kept a close watch on her last night and realized that she was acting abnormal, calling out, clearly agitated, etc. She kept trying to pee in the litter boxes but nothing wouldcome out. She then started trying to pee everywhere, in the middle of the living room, in her favorite sleeping spot ( ) just straining everywhere but was obviously blocked. I called the local emergency vet and took her in. She has a UTI!

I know this will probably shake things up a little more, because she might associate the litter boxes with pain now, but I can get new ones. She is stable and okay now, which is all that really matters to me. Her blood work was clear and she is healthy besides that. Just another bump in the road, but that's okay. The vet says she will talk to me about methods of de stressing to keep her healthy. I'm on my way to pick her up now.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum